American Dirt- Jeanine Cummins

Sometimes you come across a book that will change you forever. This is that book! Thank you to the publisher, Flatiron Books, for giving me an advanced copy.

This is the story of a Mexican mother and her eight-year-old son. They are on the run from a Mexican drug cartel and a vengeful drug lord, making their escape to the United States, el Norte. This story brings real life issues to light, it also shows love, friendship and the bond between a mother and son. All the characters in this book were so well developed that I felt an attachment to every one of them. They all had suffered inconceivable hardships and overcame extraordinary trauma. I have never felt so many emotions while reading a book before and I couldn’t get enough. I could not put this book down because I felt so attached to these characters that I needed to know what happened next, I needed to know if they would be okay.

The author brings you into the mind of each character so that you actually feel their pain. She did a great job jumping between the way an adult would think, what a mother would do for her son and then the way an 8-year-old boy assesses the situation. The way that Cummins described certain scenes was so engrossing, I felt like I was on the journey with them. I was running beside La Bestia and grabbing on for dear life, while I was actually about to fall out of my chair with anticipation!

American dirt is raw, insulting, embarrassing and heart wrenching. If it did not make me angry or make me feel uncomfortable it would not have been as good. This is exactly what it was intended to be, to make people understand that migrants are human. This story makes us see that these people are people, individuals with backgrounds and reasons for risking their lives to get to a better place. They are our fellow humans. There were so many parts in this book that made me gasp or cry because I could not imagine being in their shoes.

EVERYONE needs to read this book! I am still in awe, just staring at it. I feel like I just went on an intense journey with these characters and they are now and will forever be a part of my life. I will never forget this story.

Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw: Review

Image result for 5 crystals — 5/5 Crystal Rating

“The words have now lodged themselves stiffly in my skull- planted there, where they will grow roots and thorns and venomous flowers, burrowing into my thoughts, becoming true.” Winterwood- Shea Ernshaw

Shea Ernshaw’s words never fail me, they lodge themselves stiffly in my skull. Her words will stay planted there and will grow until I get another book from her. Ernshaw’s stories are so lyrical, she is a Goddess of words. The perfect mix of witches, romance, and magic. Ernshaw stays true to her style, reading this book brought me back to The Wicked Deep. The same magical way with words and longing, and the incredible twists in the story.

Nora lives in the Wicker Woods, where her family has lived for generations. She is part of a long line of witches with different powers, or “nightshade”, but Nora doesn’t have one. She feels so attached to the woods and longs to belong to her family in the way of magic but her mother doosn’t want her to be any part of that. One day Nora finds a missing boy in the Wicker Woods, and he can’t remember how he got there. This begins their search to find out what happened that night and who is responsible.

The character development was great between Nora and Suzy, classic popular girl befriends loner, changing them both. The development of Oliver was also good, mysterious and thrilling, wondering if he is the villain or the hero along with him. You get to take a dive into Nora’s and Oliver’s thoughts, seeing two viewpoints to the story. I loved reading the inserts from Nora’s family spellbook, telling more about their history with magic and the different spells. Shea Ernshaw did not disappoint in this new story, I loved every minute and cannot wait for her to sprinkle even more witchy magic into our lives. I need more books Shea!

Thanks Edelweiss for the advanced copy! I am so happy I got to read this!

The Furies- Book review

The power of angry women, the fates we hold and furies we possess.

Wow, what a ride! This book is like nothing I have ever read before. Thanks to the publisher for an advanced readers’ copy!
This is the story of Violet, a new student at an all girl boarding school. She ends up at Elm Hollow because of a tragedy of her own that is looming over hers and her mother’s life. This tragedy haunts her. She becomes desperate to fit in and soon finds herself in a tight group of friends that lead her down a dark path, becoming someone she never thought she would be. This tale reminds me of The Craft but even darker. Witches, teenage girls, jealousy, and murder. Everything you could possibly want in a book.

This book was well written, details and emotions were described perfectly. The only downfall I had was that there was a lot of British slang that I didn’t understand, because the author is from the UK, but no big deal, that’s what Google is for! This novel is so dark and unsettling that it resonates with you long after reading it. This isn’t just a mystery, but an exploration of obsession and latent desires. It’s about awakening the anger that young women feel and the revenge they seek for the way they are treated. Katie Lowe does not hold back, she describes all the bad things that teenage girls do, drugs, alcohol, boys, parties… the jealousy they feel and the revenge that they take together and against each other. And how these days and the friends you make stay with you forever.

The beginning starts with such a gripping intro that you have to finish it. Even when I did finish the book, I went back to reread the intro, which I highly recommend. This story will stay with me, and inspire me. The anger these girls felt and what it led to shows what women are capable of, and in these times they are starting to stand up. To be bold and brave. “To burn always with this hard, gem-like flame–“

I’ll teach them beauty, revenge, madness, and death, and if they burn it all, and start again, the more the better. For they’ll be fearless, becoming bold…

Serpent & Dove Review

Nature Demands Balance…

This book is easily my favorite book this year, and in the top 5 of all-time favorites! It took me a few days to write this review because I just couldn’t put how I felt about it into words. This is the story of a witch that is forced to marry a witch hunter- who doesn’t know she is a witch. Lou is a witch that has been barely escaping death her whole life. She is a criminal that does not follow rules, she is foul mouthed and living on the edge and soooo much fun! She does what she wants, when she wants it. She is a strong female character, she’s a badass and I honestly want to be her best friend in real life!

Image result for will you be my best friend gif

Reid is a strong male character, he is loyal, innocent, and a leader. Everyone looks up to him and he does as he is told. He believes everything that is told to him and he tries so hard to please everyone, even if it is not good for himself. I love the quote that is said throughout the book “Nature Demands Balance” because this same balance is even shown in Lou and Reid’s relationship. They are a good balance for each other, she keeps him wild, and he keeps her safe. Their personalities combine to create perfection!

The character development is great, every single character goes through major changes throughout the story, and every main character has a background to explain why they are the way they are. I also loved how all the characters are connected somehow, which builds throughout the story. This book poses many questions about religion and humanity. It reflects on how different people are raised to be closed minded about their religion and their family upbringing. It makes you understand the importance of “walking in someone else’s shoes” and experiencing the world from their viewpoint. The way that Lou questions the actions that the Chasseurs take, asking “is that not what your God teaches?”, makes you stop and think.

Shelby Mahurin teaches valuable lessons in this novel, how to respect other peoples beliefs and to understand people that are different than you. I seriously could not put this book down! Even when I wasn’t reading it I was constantly thinking about it. The way that Mahurin describes magic and the way it works is so in depth and different than anything else I have read before. The different types of witches and how their magic differs was incredible, I can’t wait to get more and I am hoping to be introduced to new kinds of witches in the sequel.

In my opinion, this book should not be classified as YA, it is VERY mature – brothels, prostitutes and a lot of bad language and **SPOILER** (an in-depth sex scene) **END SPOILER**. I think it should be classified as a New Adult. It also does not deal with teenage issues, I feel it is geared more towards younger adults, dealing with marriage, homelessness and starting life on your own. The main character is also at least 18.

Shelby Mahurin’s writing style is so fluid and flawless, this was a great debut and I can’t wait to read more from her!

Magic For Liars- Sarah Gailey

This story tied in Magic, Murder, and a little bit of Romance. This book reminded me of “The Magicians”, it’s about a magic school but not as kiddish and heroic as Harry Potter. There are real problems and it gets pretty gritty and gory. This focuses on Ivy, who is a Private Investigator that always wanted to be a REAL detective but never got the chance. Her twin sister, Tabitha, who she doesn’t speak to anymore, is magic and a teacher at Osthorne- a high school for magic teenagers.
One day the head of Osthorne comes to Ivy’s office and asks her to solve a murder that happened at the school. Ivy does not want to see her sister and has always been jealous that she was not born with magic, but this could be her big shot at doing detective work so she takes it. The mystery keeps you guessing who did it, and the magic is a fun additive. The main protagonist reminds us about reality with her struggles with jealousy and trying to fit in.

I loved this book because it mixed mystery with magic. I gave this book a 4 star rating. The main protagonist described how we all feel struggling in a world we don’t fit in. And of course who doesn’t want to be magic?! I also like how in depth Gailey got with magic, it wasn’t just fun things like changing your appearance but she got into the depths of theoretical magic. This is an adult book but it doesn’t feel like a drawn out boring adult story, it is a good mix of teen drama and adult struggles. I fully enjoyed Sarah Gailey’s writing and recommend this book!

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

“It’s like that, with all of us here. Sick, strange, and we don’t know why. Things bursting out of us, bits missing and pieces sloughing off, and then we harden and smooth over.”

I’m not gonna lie, I honestly grabbed this book because of the beautiful cover! The story-line actually intrigued me though, and this book did not disappoint! This is the story of girls left on an island in quarantine at Raxter school for girls. A disease “the Tox” has taken over the entire island, the plants, trees, animals, and the girls and teachers at this school. The CDC and US Navy sends them food and supplies and promised to find a cure. It’s been a year and a half and they still have no answers…

Rory Power’s writing was so raw and descriptive. She did not hold anything back with her gory and violent scenes, it was like watching a horror movie with blood and guts everywhere, but I loved it! This book shows that girls can get dirty, they can be strong and endure hardship just as much as any boy could. The cover is also perfect, I think it represents how the land has become part of them but it is also what is spiraling them out of control. The way these girls just accept the changes and terrible things that are happening to them but also still feel compassion and guilt and LOVE for one another, shows how human they still are. These girls are tough, especially Hetty. Hetty is a relatable character that is constantly second guessing herself and has low confidence, but she kicks ass when it comes to protecting her girls!

This book screams feminism and I entirely admire it. I aspire to be as bad ass as these girls if I was ever in a similar situation. This is a story about survival; survival of the fittest.

There is so much symbolism and emotions in this novel, just please READ IT!

Little Darlings – Melanie Golding

Book Review

This book was a quick, creepy and easy read. This is a psychological thriller with dark folklore tied in. Lauren Tranter is the main protagonist who has newborn twin boys, Morgan and Riley. During her stay at the maternity ward she meets a scary woman with her own set of newborn twins. Lauren believes this woman is trying to steal her babies and swap them for her own. Everyone, including her husband, dismisses her case as her just being a tired new mother going through a mental health episode. The author keeps you and the detective on her case guessing if Lauren is telling the truth or if she really is insane.

This book is creepy and will keep you questioning the main protagonist’s sanity. But most of all this book is important! This story touches on postpartum depression and anxiety, and Melanie Golding describes those feelings to a T. As someone who has personally recently struggled with Postpartum Depression and Anxiety I felt like the author had literally crawled into my mind and wrote down my feelings and emotions. This is something I am not proud of, but reading this book and how exact it described me made me feel like I was not alone and that others must be experiencing the same feelings. That terrible flood of guilt for everything.

“She was still waiting for the rush of love. That one you feel, all at once the second they’re born, like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. The rush of love that people with children always go on about. She’d been looking forward to it. It worried her that she hadn’t felt it yet.”

I like how she did not glorify new motherhood, she showed exactly how hard it is, even the events of the birth felt real. This book needs to be noticed and the subject of this book needs to be talked about. I will say that this book could cause a trigger for those still struggling.

Overall, this book had me on the edge of my seat, I could not guess what would happen next! I was disappointed with the ending though, that is why I only rated it 4 crystals. I feel like the ending was rushed and too quickly wrapped up. The most thrilling part happened so fast with not much explanation or detail. But I will still recommend and encourage others to read it, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Rage by Cora Carmack

Thank you Edelweiss+ for giving me an eArc of this book. I was so excited for this sequel because I loved the first book, Roar. Part of me is torn because I know the author has had a rough year health-wise, but here is my honest review. For me, this book was good but it wasn’t great. There were times when I had to force myself to read it because some parts were slow and I lost interest. I feel like not a whole lot happened in this book, and a lot of the story was just fillers. I wanted more action! I was confused many times throughout this book, first the author used all of the main character’s names, Aurora, Rora, and Roar interchangeably making it hard to keep up- there were also a couple times when Kiran was called Locke, and the narrator viewpoints changed often leaving me confused. Don’t get me wrong the last 20% of the book was good and there were lots of storms, magic, and emotions that pulled me in, and it ends on a cliffhanger leaving me wanting to know more… of course! I am still excited for the next book and I am hoping for more action. I also like the character development of Aurora, and I’m hoping for more of that in the next book. I also enjoyed the spotlight on some smaller characters in this sequel and I am looking forward to more backstory and development on those characters.

This is still a great series that I would recommend for YA fantasy lovers, especially because the story and land is so unique.

I am going on an adventure!

Thanks for joining me!

A little bit about me…
My name is Heather and I am a Librarian (I prefer Bibliothecary) who is, of course, OBSESSED with books! My favorite things consist of rain, coffee, crystals and BOOKS! I am a new mommy to a beautiful baby boy.. of course still struggling to juggle work, mom life, wife, housework, writing, reading, and the list goes on… but I decided to take on a new task of blogging and sharing my reviews and thoughts about books. I have been receiving ARCs and I want to share what I think of them with you all. I especially enjoy YA fantasy novels, but I have been exploring other genres lately. I love my job so much as a librarian that I want to reach more people with my expertise and recommendations. So please, Let’s chat!
And Happy Reading Bookdragons!
Heather